Profile: Warren Crandall Giles was born in Tukwila, Illinois on May 28, 1896. He was raised
in nearby Moline, and studied at Washington and Lee University, before enlisting
in the Army, where he saw action in France as a Lieutenant in a Mortar Company.
When he returned for War he worked in his father's painting business.

While
working in the painting business, Giles life too a sudden turn was
elected to run the community owned baseball team in the Triple I league. Giles
improved the team right away by hiring Connie Mack's soon Earl as the team's manager.
The team captured the League's Championship in 1920 and 1921, before Giles
moved on to run the Western league club in St. Joseph, Missouri. After 5 solid
years there he moved on to the St. Louis Cardinals Intentional League Team
in Syracuse, following them when they moved to Rochester, NY. Along the way the
Red Wings captured four straight pennants with a roster full of future Cardinals
that would be key contributors to the famous "Gas House Gang". In addition to
running the Rochester franchise, Giles served as President of the International
League.

In 1936 Warren Giles finally landed a job in the Majors as
the General Manger of the struggling Cincinnati Reds. Within a few years he would
transform them into contenders, building a team that captured the NL Championship
in 1939, and the World Series Championship in 1940. In 1948 after 12 successful
years as GM Giles, was promoted to the position of President by the Reds.
Three years later Giles was one of two finalists to fill the post of Commissioner.
However the job ended up going to NL President Ford C. Frick. However the
job left behind by Frick would end up going to Giles, who had volunteered to
take the NL Presidents job to help end the deadlock of NL owners who did not want
to search for a replacement for Frick.

Warren Giles would hold the
post of NL President for 18 years the longest tenure of any president in the
senior circuit. During his nearly two decades at the helm the game underwent massive
changes. Through out the 1950's franchise relocation dominated the headlines
with the Braves, Dodgers, and Giants all seeking out new locations. When the
later two moved following the 1957 season it left the National League without
a New York presence. Giles saw a looming threat for William Shea a prominent
Northeast lawyer who proposed the formation of a third League. This was not only
seen as threat to the NL, but the AL as well, and a push for expansion was on.
In 1962 the NL expanded for the first time in 62 years. In Giles final year as
President 1969 the NL would expand again this time adding a team to Canada making
Major League Baseball and international sport. 1969 also saw the introduction
of Divisional Play, and the League Championship Series. Giles was at the forefront
of both changes, saying "The right kind of tradition has made baseball
what it is, but blindly following tradition will lead it into a rut. Baseball must
always keep pace with the times.'

Warren Giles died on February
7, 1979, as a tribute he was enshrined into the Hall of Fame, and hailed as one
of the finest Presidents the National League ever had.